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in secondary vessel converter. However, in order to overcome these demerits and produce different grades with grater economy and better quality, triplex process is used. In Triplex process, after melting in primary unit, refining is carried out in two different vessels. In the first vessel, decarburization and major refining take place and final stages of desulphurization and degassing take place in second vessel. Compare to duplex, triplex process has following merits: Increase productivity Increase number of heats per day Increase scrap to liquid metal yield Improved quality of metal High operational flexibility Comparatively lower cost of production.
AOD process
The AOD process features the use of mixed gas (O2 + inert gas) top-blowing lances to achieve high decarburization rates even at low steel bath [C] contents. The AOD (argon-oxygen decarburization) is a bottom-blown process, which since its introduction in the late 1960s has become the dominant stainless steelmaking process (Figure 2). The AOD is charged with molten steel. The main task in the AOD is to refine crude steel high in both carbon and sulfide. The often-high carbon content is oxidized and driven off as carbon monoxide when oxygen is blown through tuyeres located near the bottom.
Figure 2: Schematic AOD Converter Chromium oxidation is inevitable in the oxygen blowing decarburization process and chromium oxide with its high melting point is enriched in the slag at steel-making temperature. Depending on carbon and sulfur demands in the product, the top slag is reduced with either ferrosilicon or aluminum or a combination of both. Ferrosilicon is used when sulfur levels only needs to be lowered slightly or when the sulfur already is low enough. Whenever possible, ferrosilicon is used because it is less expensive. Low sulfur levels as well as low carbon are achievable in the AOD converter. Decarburization in AOD converter Very low carbon levels are acquired in AOD stainless steels, often down to between 0.01 and 0.04 percent. The concept of the AOD converter is reaching such low carbon content by introducing increasing amounts of argon into the oxygen blown through the steel bath in the decarburization step. The argon dilutes the carbon monoxide formed during the decarburization, which lead to a lower the partial pressure of carbon monoxide PCO. A low carbon monoxide partial pressure favors the formation of carbon monoxide from carbon and oxygen according to the oxygen potential diagram and therefore a lower temperature can be implemented in the AOD converter in making a standard stainless steel with chromium content of 18% and carbon level at 0.03% (Figure 3). At normal pressure (1 atm) a temperature of 1940C is required to reach such a low carbon level. When the partial pressure of carbon monoxide PCO is reduced to a tenth of normal atmospheric pressure the equal low carbon level can be met already at 1600C (Figure 3). Economical benefits are shorter heating times and lower heating costs combined with less refractory wear, and perhaps less expensive refractory not needing to withstand extreme temperatures.
existence of chromium oxide in the slag despite of equation 11. Chromium content in the top-slag is often referred to as only Cr2O3 even though some extent of it is CrO. In slag chrome is present both as Cr2O3 and CrO. The formation of CrO is favored by increased temperature, decreased oxygen potential and decreased basicity. In order to keep the chromium trivalent, remaining as Cr2O3 the basicity should be held high. Large amounts of argon purge the steel bath intensely. Nitrogen and Hydrogen follow the argon to the surface and very low levels remain in the steel at the end of the process.